A History of Women’s Writing in France

Cambridge University Press’s A History of Women’s Writing in France edited by Sonya Stephens (Royal Holloway, University of London) offers a historical introduction to the subject from the sixth century to the present day. The new book is a compilation of essays by an international team of senior academics based in the anglophone world. It claims to be the first introductory historical guide to the topic written in English. Criticising the canonization of a small elite of French women writers, the book boasts new readings and perspectives.

The Cambridge history consists of 12 essays as well as a particularly useful...